Corsi 227, approx. 145 x 73 x 40 mm, © Oxford University Museum of Natural History
| OUMNH Number: | 227 |
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| Name and quarry location: | Stellaria, locality unknown; not from Egypt |
| Geological description: | Coral limestone. A recrystallised colonial scleractinian (= hexacoral) coral, of Mesozoic or more recent age. |
| Comments: | Schleractinian corals are the kind that form stony reefs, and decorative stones featuring these corals, known by the scalpellini as stellaria, were highly prized. They would have been obtained from various countries including Italy. |
| References: | Corsi (1845) 120; Price (2007) 172 |
| Further information: |
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| Corsi's classification: | Class 1. Marbles; Section 3. Lumachellas; i. Ancient lumachellas |
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| Corsi's text: | 78.13 Lumachella antica. Marmor Conchyte. Stellaria orientale... provenissero dall'Asia, o dall'Africa.... i scarpellini Romani ne assegnano capricciosamente le cave ora all' Arabia, ora all' Egitto, ed ora alla Tebaide |